Tables from the Tables
by TheGreaterShade
Summary: When you live the life of an adventurer, you find you spend a great deal of time doing things well beyond the norm. You may have saved a damsel in distress, slayed a mighty dragon or sailed the Astral See; and those who have rarely walk away without a story to tell. This is an ever expanding collection of those stories, tales of great triumphs, greater blunders and much, much more.


This is a work of fan fiction using the characters and settings from countless dungeon masters. These stories, their characters, and universes, and all things therein are owned by their respective creators. I do not work for any of these people, or claim any ownership of their characters, concepts, or ideas. The stories I have written are for entertainment purposes only. I am thankful to the countless players, creators, and Dungeon Masters for the elaborate worlds and characters they have brought to life. Without these, the following stories could not exist. I thank everyone and anyone who reads, follows, and supports this story or any of my work. I also invite my readers to pay some homage to the wonderful creators and DM's who tolerated their player's frivolous, foolish, and epic antics long enough for the following events to occur. Thank you, please enjoy and feel free to leave a review!

* * *

Lady Anna Snow tugged her fur cloak tightly around her shoulders, a faint shiver running down her spine as blasted cold bit at her delicate frame once more. The powerful wizard slowed a bit, conjuring a bit of flame to warm herself; looking up to find the sun starting fall below the horizon. With a slight sigh she continued to walk alongside her party members, the snow crunched loudly beneath their boots as they trudged up the icy mountain trail.

"We should make camp, it's getting dark." She called ahead, a bit of snow falling out of the hemlocks above her.

The half dragon, Tag, gave a grunt and nodded, his white scales and pale skin barely visible against the snowy environment.

With what little daylight they had left the party halted and made camp beneath a large cliff face. Preparing the camp took little effort, with a few spells and some minimal preparation, the seasoned band adventurers had adequate shelter, food, water, and fire. After taking the time to eat and warm themselves the nightly watch was established, and Anna and Tag were selected to stand guard while their comrades rested.

Hours passed and the stars rolled slowly across the heavens, it seemed as though it would be another quiet watch as usual.

That quickly changed when a piercing cold howl rang out in the dead of night, putting the wizard on high alert. Tag suddenly stood up and drew the long blade from the sheath on his back and snarled viciously as he took a fighting stance. Clearly the half dragon could see something which Anna's human eyes could not.

Slowly they came into view however; two massive pairs of glowing blue canid eyes. The wizard shot to her feet, making a series of complex gestures with her hands whilst speaking in a strange arcane tongue. The eyes moved closer, their hulking forms revealed by the dying fire. A pair of massive white wolves both nearly the size of a plow horse, winter wolves if Anna remembered correctly.

The two beasts snarled and snapped, licking their lips as Tag roared trying to scare them off. This only incited them to attack, as one of the wolves lunged for Anna. Deftly she stepped aside the beast running past her and straight into a tree. The other leapt on top of Tag, the half dragon using what strength he had to keep the creature from tearing off his head. Anna looked back and forth in a panic, as the first wolf stood and turned, saliva dripping from its mouth.

Acting quickly the wizard waited for the wolf to charge, once close enough she began to cast her spell. As the wolf attempted to jump on top of her, Anna released her spell without a second to spare. Both winter wolves became engulfed in a bright white light as they began to shrink. The light fading to reveal not a pair of wolves but a pair of white mice.

"Kill them quickly!" Anna shouted in a panicked voice.

Tag still somewhat mesmerized, barely managed to register her request as he stood up. He promptly searched about for the mice and stomped upon the first one he saw while Anna took care of the other.

An exasperated breath escaped the wizard's lungs, "That was... unexpected" She said her heart still racing.

"Agreed." Tag answered bluntly, "What spell was that?"

"Baleful polymorph. I hadn't planned on testing it this way, though I suppose I doesn't matter now."

"Wolves hunt in packs, we should make sure there aren't anymore."

"That would be most prudent."

Carefully the two adventurers walked around the edge of the cliff, weapons at the ready. The half dragon tensed as Anna heard something running towards them, albeit clumsily. A loud yip sounded through the cold, quiet, woods as the creature rushed towards them. A single winter wolf but much smaller, about the size of a large dog.

The smaller winter wolf yipped again, wiggling its rear in air at Anna's feet before playfully darting in circles around two of them.

A sickening realization gripped the wizard's heart, like a kick to the chest. Tag soon coming to the same conclusion as Anna beckoned the animal closure.

* * *

"It's just a baby." Tag finally said as they sat in front of their campfire.

The winter wolf pup lay blissfully asleep with its head in the wizard's lap, completely unaware of the tragedy that had just befallen it as Anna stroked its thick white fur.

"I feel horrible." Anna said softly. "Absolutely horrible."

"You couldn't have known."

"Ignorance doesn't make me any less guilty."

"Such is the way of nature, kill or be killed."

"I know that, but it doesn't make what I did right."

"Ugh, humans, always so emotional."

"-They were just trying to feed him! And I- I-"

"Need I remind you that they wanted to feed him us. They're just animals."

"But do they not understand the concept of family? They do live in packs after all."

"What are you going to do?! Adopt him as your own? Make us his new pack? Become his alpha?"

There was a long pause before Anna exclaimed, "Tag that's a brilliant idea!"

Tag almost immediately regretted speaking as the wizard quickly seized the thought and began jabbering away. The gears in her head now inspired and turning at high speed; assessing the possibilities and weighing the risks.

"He would be a most wonderful asset to the party!" Anna finally concluded.

"Oh no…"

"We should convene everyone in the morning and decide what to name him!"

"Ugh…"

* * *

Thus, the wizard eagerly began a new project, the taming and training of her newly acquired winter wolf puppy, whom she fondly named 'Snowball'.

As time went on Snowball grew into a great wolf, he earned a place as a treasured member of the party and beloved part of Anna's family. Snowball was counted as one of Anna's most trusted and loyal protectors, and would serve her faithfully in any and every endeavor. Whether by carrying extra supplies, messages, or Anna herself; he kept her enemies at a respectable distance and struck down her foes with fervor, rarely leaving her side. Snowball would be a pleasant ambassador accompanying his mistress everywhere she traveled, and occasionally he would 'assist' in a tense negotiation (usually by growling). So, it goes without saying that Snowball did indeed deserve everything his mistress gave him.

The winter wolf would come to live a life of of great luxury as his beloved mistress took any and EVERY opportunity she had to spoil him. She would adorn him with gold jewel encrusted collars which his mistress personally enchanted to protect him in battle, and custom made dragonscale dog armor to further ensure no blade could harm him. When all was said and done and it came to time return home again, he would follow his Lady mistress to her castle for a well deserved rest upon a certain pile of plush cushions. There, Anna saw to it that Snowball fed upon the finest cuts of meat and juiciest bones available, and received all the attention and roughousing he so desperately craved.


End file.
